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Technology and practice culture on the agenda for SPVS-VPMA Congress 2018

2 January 2018

This month we will be exhibiting at the Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons (SPVS) and Veterinary Practice Management Association (VPMA) Congress on Friday 26 and Saturday 27 January 2018.

The event takes place at Celtic Manor near Newport in South Wales where we will be exhibiting our latest projects and initiatives, and staff will be on hand to answer delegates’ queries about all aspects of our work.

Our staff and officers will also be giving and participating in a number of talks including:

  • Friday 26 January from 10.40am: the College is hosting a Mind Matters stream throughout the course of the day which will be chaired by Dr Max Pemberton, a psychiatrist, journalist and author. The stream will reflect many of the themes of the Mind Matters Initiative with workshops and talks on recovery from mental ill-health, team cohesion, building resilience and team management.
  • Friday 26 January at 11.40am: Our Senior Vice-President Chris Tufnell is giving a presentation entitled ‘Disruptive Innovation & Equine Practice’ in which he will relay his personal experience of how technological innovation can impact veterinary practice. Chris currently runs the College’s new innovation project ViVet.
  • Saturday 27 January at 2.10pm: Our CEO Lizzie Lockett is taking part in a group discussion called ‘Learning from Excellence’ which will look at how the veterinary professions can develop a ‘learning culture’ that allows professionals to learn from mistakes and improve their practice. Lizzie will report on the recent survey into ‘blame culture’ within the profession and how it can be turned into a more positive learning culture. Other speakers include Carolyne Crowe and Catherine Oxtoby from the Veterinary Defence Society and Richard Artingstall from Independent Vetcare.

The Practice Standards Scheme will also be celebrated during the course of the Congress with a special Awards Reception where practices that have achieved awards through the scheme will be honoured. All delegates and non-delegates are welcome to attend the event, on Thursday 25 January between 3.30pm and 5pm, to find out more about the Scheme, how the awards work and how to apply for them.

During the reception, PSS Lead Assessor Pam Mosedale will divulge some top tips for gaining awards; while Charlotte Hartley RVN will give a first-hand account of becoming an award-winning practice; and, our Director of Communications, Ian Holloway, will present the new communications toolkit which will aid practices to inform their clients about their achievements in the scheme and what these mean for them. Places at the event are available to book.

Throughout Friday 26 January there will also be a series of 20-minute one-to-one PSS surgeries with Pam Mosedale for practices needing bespoke advice and guidance about the Scheme. Surgeries are available to book on a first-come, first-served basis.

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